Deliverables/Outputs from PMI SeminarsWorld® - Florida – 2007

Project Communications Management

Carl Pritchard, Pritchard Management Associates, Instructor

These are the outputs from student exercises related to production of consistent protocols and practices from the MegaSeminarsWorld Event in Orlando. Deliverables include:

-  Sample Briefing Outline / Briefing Protocol for Status Reports

-  Project Closure Protocol

-  Project Requirements Checklist

-  Project Boundaries Document

-  Meeting Minutes Template


Sample Briefing Outline / Briefing Protocol for Status Reports

·  All presentations shall be limited to 30 minutes or less unless arranged earlier. Most are expected to be approximately 20 minutes in duration.

·  Any supplemental “side-bar” discussions or tangential commentary shall be addressed after the primary meeting, off line.

·  A readily available standard template shall be posted on the Local Area Network at: (X:// LOCATION)

Presentation Content

1.  Accomplishments (1 Slide)

2.  Milestone Status (2 Slides, including one of the project plan graphic)

3.  Risks (1 Slide, with sub-bullets to include concern, impact and mitigation)

4.  Next Steps (1-2 Slides, covering the 4-5-day outlook)

Post-Briefing

·  Follow-up will include post meeting e-mail tracking all action items and their respective owners

·  Documentation will be gathered from participants as to their perception of the overall project. This information will be incorporated in graphical format for management review and consideration.


Project Closure Protocol

This was developed to generate some measure of consistency in the post-project work, the documentation of lessons learned, and the provision for rewards/awards after projects are complete.

A closing template shall be complete with a checklist for all of the following items:

¨  Release of project resources (This should include, but is not limited to the release practices promoted by HR, as well as the timing under which they are authorized for release.

¨  Scope documentation validation (This will include a simple compliance matrix to affirm that we have completed all of the commitments made under the original scope).

¨  Confirmed schedule completion (This is not simply a document to capture whether the project was on time or late. It is, instead, to identify that all of the activities in the schedule were completed, and to affirm that there are no lingering activities which may inadvertently extend the schedule.

¨  Approved change requests (This is an extension of the scope documentation validation to ensure that all commitments have been met).

¨  Complete closure reports (This can include both departmental and customer forms that are required to acknowledge project completion.

¨  Archived project information (This should include both the physical archiving of the information and documentation disseminated to the project owners and team regarding the information’s ultimate destination and location, physical, virtual, or both.

¨  Complete lessons learned (These should be developed according to a consistent format to ensure that not only the lessons are identified, but also their context, rationale and implementation strategies).

¨  Project signatures (These should be real, tangible and archived).

¨  Project recognition/celebration (Project recognition should include critical participants from all phases/elements of the project).


Project Requirements List

This was developed to ensure consistency in the components of a project requirements document.

The emphasis should be to define the requirement, rather than the solution. Emphasis should be placed on resolving the question(s) of “What does the customer/end-user really need?” rather than “How will we accomplish the goals of this effort?”

¨  Business need

¨  Business objective

¨  Project scope

§  What needs will be served

§  What needs will not be served

¨  Project assumptions (What is believed to be true for planning purposes)

¨  Project risks

¨  Project limitations

¨  Detailed project requirements (needs)

¨  Training support required

¨  Other support required

¨  High-level cost estimate(s)

¨  Approval / Authority for approval


Project Boundaries Document

This was developed to deal with the concern that on many projects, project boundaries are not documented, or are given only cursory lip service It is also to serve to reinforce against scope creep and unauthorized change.

Project Boundaries Template
Project Title
Project Description
Project scope shall include…
Requirement 1 / Sample: The project shall include all efforts to prepare the wall for painting in order to generate a smooth surface with even color
Requirement 2
Requirement 3
Requirement 4
Requirement 5
Project scope shall specifically not include:
Boundary 1 / Sample: The project shall not include any painting on either the floor or ceiling.
Boundary 2
Boundary 3
Boundary 4
Boundary 5
Other background information


Meeting Minutes Template

This was developed to ensure that all components of meeting minutes are included to allow for consistent information capture.

Meeting Minutes
Project ID (Name/#)
Meeting Subject / (Status/Progress, Action/Decision, Briefing/Update)
Meeting Purpose / Narrative:
Date: / Time:
Location: (Physical) / Locations: (Virtual)
Distribution List / Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Attendee List / Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Name/Role/E-mail:
Management Summary / Brief description of the nature of the meeting and its outcomes. Not to exceed 50 words
Meeting Items
Agenda Item Description
Decision Made
Actions Due
Owner / Contact Info / Tele:
e-mail:
Due Date
Link(s) to supporting documentation / LAN:
Web URL:
Physical:
Agenda Item Description
Decision Made
Actions Due
Owner / Contact Info / Tele:
e-mail:
Due Date
Link(s) to supporting documentation / LAN:
Web URL:
Physical:
Agenda Item Description
Decision Made
Actions Due
Owner / Contact Info / Tele:
e-mail:
Due Date
Link(s) to supporting documentation / LAN:
Web URL:
Physical:
Agenda Item Description
Decision Made
Actions Due
Owner / Contact Info / Tele:
e-mail:
Due Date
Link(s) to supporting documentation / LAN:
Web URL:
Physical:
Agenda Item Description
Decision Made
Actions Due
Owner / Contact Info / Tele:
e-mail:
Due Date
Link(s) to supporting documentation / LAN:
Web URL:
Physical:
FOLLOW-UP
Next Meeting:
Date:
Time:
Location:
Bridgeline: